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Apr 25, 2016 By Christopher Roberts Peter Capaldi

Over the weekend the BBC announced that Pearl Mackie will be joining the cast of Doctor Who as the new companion, Bill. She was revealed in a new especially shot scene featuring Bill and The Doctor (played by Peter Capaldi) facing off against his most dangerous foes, the Daleks. Watch below as The Doctor tries to explain to Bill who the Daleks are while they are trying to exterminate them.

The Doctor almost always travels in space and time with a companion, usually a twenty-something female from Earth. The new season of Doctor Who doesn’t start until 2017, but a Christmas special will air this December and perhaps that’s when we’ll first meet Bill. This is Mackie’s first major television role and she is a 28-year-old actress/singer/dancer who grew up in Brixton, South London and is primarily known for her stage work. Mackie is taking over from Jenna Coleman, who played the previous companion, Clara Oswald (who left at the end of the last season).

Mackie issued a statement about joining the cast of the long running sci-fi show: “I’m incredibly excited to be joining the Doctor Who family. It’s such an extraordinary British institution, I couldn’t be prouder to call the TARDIS my home! Peter Capaldi is such a brilliant actor, and his Doctor is such a wacky and wonderful character, I can’t wait to see what adventures are in store for him and Bill throughout time and space. Reading the script at the audition I thought Bill was wicked. Fantastically written, cool, strong, sharp, a little bit vulnerable with a bit of geekiness thrown in - I can’t wait to bring her to life, and to see how she develops through the series. I always loved stage combat at drama school so I can’t wait to get on set and kick some evil monsters into the next dimension! Shooting the trailer was absolutely mental, there were pyrotechnics and smoke and I met my first Dalek! I’m not sure it will ever become ‘the norm’ seeing crazy monsters on set, but I cannot wait to meet some more! The weirder the better, bring it on!”

Peter Capaldi also commented on Mackie: “It is a genuine delight to welcome Pearl Mackie to Doctor Who. A fine, fine actress with a wonderful zest and charm, she’s a refreshing addition to the TARDIS and will bring a universe of exciting new possibilities to The Doctor’s adventures.”

Steven Moffat announced in January that next season will be his final season as the showrunner and head writer on Doctor Who. His replacement will be Chris Chibnall, who has already written several episodes of Doctor Who and its spinoff series Torchwood and is also known for creating and writing the acclaimed British detective drama Broadchurch (which stars David Tennant, who used to star as the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who).